(non-bonsai) Book on Propagation

kompik

I realize this is pretty vague, but I recall reading somewhere that there was a very good propagation book that many bonsaists reference, but which isn't written as a bonsai book and not written by a bonsai artist. All I really know about it is that it was very technical, very detailed, and pretty exhaustive in dealing with different climates, species, etc. If anyone has an idea of which book I may be thinking of, please let me know.

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waltseed

I recommend Dr. M. Dirr's book Manual of Woody Landscape Plants.
It has a summary of nearly every woody plant in the trade, including but not limited to how to propagate each species.
This book is the best. Dirr and his graduate students have tested many species, taking cuttings at different times of the year, and using strengths of different rooting hormones, all in a consistant manner for publication in scientific journals and as graduate theses for the students.
Also other methods other than cuttings, like seed treatments, are mentioned when appropriate to a species.
Also, he gives first-hand accounts of seeing various species at different locations. An excellent species at one location may be worthless at another.
And his discriptions of such things as walking over a forest of Juniper horizontalis, stepping over trunks a meeter thick lieing on the ground, are worth reading. Also his speculations on such things as why J. horizontalis lays on the ground (addaption to heavy snows that would break branches on upright junipers is his belief) are interesting to me.
It is a big book and not cheap new. But it has gone through many editions over the years, as new information is added. An older edition, second-hand, might be quite reasonable. Or do what I do, borrow it from the public library. Any good public library should have it in it's garden section. At least in English-speaking countries. Reference libraries in any good university in the world should have it.
Also a good library should have other books on propagation of woody plants. But Dirr's book sets the standard for completeness and accuracy.

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Waltseed

kompik

Yep, that's the one I heard about. Thanks Waltseed!

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waltseed

Dirr's book tells what is unique to a given species. It assumes you know the basics already. So a beginners book may be useful too, depending on what you already know. Good luck.

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Waltseed